Avon Days

Hey everyone!

Okay so this week was absolutely PACKED full of amazing things!!

Wednesday was Transfer meeting, but we didn't get to go because neither of us got transferred. We did get to say goodbye to Elder Dawson on Wednesday morning though. We made him some green jello (because he loves green) and gave him some more green things, and then sent him on his way to Warwick, RI.

Cuatro amigos! Just before we said goodbye to Elder Dawson. 

Our zone, before everyone got transferred.

Gotta love that tie dye!

Then later on Wednesday we had a fantastic experience. We met with a potential investigator, Mary. She has 2 daughters. A 15 year old and an 11 year old. They are so sweet. We sat down and asked her about her religious background. She said that she and her daughters had been looking for a church to go to. We then talked about our purpose as missionaries and taught the beginning of the Restoration lesson. When we asked her daughter, Talia, how she's felt God's love in her life she said "Well when I pray I always feel peace and I know that he's there and he loves me." This girl is amazing. It was a really amazing experience, and now all 3 of them are our new investigators. We're really excited to work with their family and help them to come closer to Jesus Christ. 

On Thursday we had a lesson with our investigator McKelle. We actually brought Laurie with us, and we think that it was an even greater experience for her than it was for McKelle. We had a great lesson with McKelle and her family about the Book of Mormon and how she can find answers to life's questions through reading it and praying about it. We also talked about baptism and helped her to understand more about it. Laurie got to bear her testimony about how her baptism has blessed her life. In the car on the way back, Laurie told us that she had never been out teaching with missionaries before! It was so amazing that we could give her that experience, and we were so grateful for her help. She was awesome in that lesson!

Later on Thursday we went to see a less active family that we had an appointment with. When we walked in, they had a dinner made for us! It was so sweet. We talked with them about General Conference and how they can get the most out of it. They said they're going to watch it so we're excited to hear all about their experience.

THEN after that, we went to see the awesome family on our street who we've been talking to lately. They invited us in and we talked with them about what we do as missionaries. They said that they think it's wonderful what we do. They're so awesome! Then we got to teach them about how the gospel blesses families, and we talked about how families can be together forever. They're such a sweet family, and now we're going to be teaching them! We're so excited! The work is hastening here in Avon!

Me and Sister Egan being ... us.

Then on Friday we had an interesting experience. We had an amazing day, we were just coming home for the night. Sister Egan walked in the door of our house, turned on the light and then SCREAMED! I was like "What is going on?!". She saw a mouse run across our floor! There is now a mouse hiding under our dryer! We tried to get it out so we could chase it outside, but we were unsuccessful. Now every night when we come home, we're terrified. We named him though. His name is Henry. There will be more updates on the whereabouts of Henry in the upcoming weeks.

Sister Egan going mouse hunting!

Saturday was awesome! We went to a State Fair thing. It was called "Avon Days". We had a booth set up, and the Portable Visitors Centre Sisters came to help us out. It was so cool! We had a display with the Book of Mormon in 93 different languages. The question of the day was "When is that Temple going to be finished?". We wish we could answer that question. We have absolutely no idea. But everyone is excited for it! EVERYONE said they're going to come to the Open House! That'll be super exciting!

Our display at Avon Days!

Later that day we watched the General Women's session of General Conference. It was amazing of course. President Uchtdorf never fails to deliver a fantastic talk that applies to all of us! 

I am SO excited for General Conference this weekend! It's going to be incredible!

I love you all so much! I hope you all have an amazing week!

Love,

Sister Rebekah Barrett

End of another transfer ...

Hey everyone!

So this week was beyond awesome!

First of all, last Monday we had a Zone P-Day and we made tie-dye shirts!! Mine didn't turn out that great, but I still wear it, and it was SUPER fun! It was Zion building for sure!

On Tuesday we met with Hannah! We went out for dinner with her and we discussed what's holding her back from baptism. It was really sweet. She basically bore her testimony to us. She said "I KNOW I want to be baptised into this church. I've been to other churches and I don't feel the same. I don't feel the spirit there like I do in this church, so I KNOW I want to be baptised". But she did say that there's a few things holding her back so we're working on that. WE LOVE THAT GIRL!

Two of my favourite children, Elijah and Isabella!

Later that day we went on exchanges with the Glastonbury Sisters! It was really fun. Sister Meireles came to Avon with me. We had a great exchange on Wednesday and then when we exchanged back, we all went out to dinner together. It was really nice :) They're so sweet!

On exchanges!

This is how missionaries park ...

On Thursday we helped out one of our members with her Family history. The Caputos and Lee from Greenfield came to help her out too! It was so amazing to see them! They're hilarious! I love them! Also, they are SO good at Family history. We all know I fail at it, but they helped Sister Wolff a lot!

The Caputos and Lee

On Friday we got T-Texts!! I'm staying here in Avon with Sister Egan for another transfer! We're so pumped! I'll be here for 6 months! CRAZY! I honestly feel like i just got here! I can't believe it's been 4 and a half months already!

On Saturday we went to an event with the Canton Elders and people from their ward. The Portable Visitors Center Sisters were there too and we had a Book of Mormon display. We got to talk to a bunch of people about the Book of Mormon and the Temple. It was awesome! We have another event like that coming up in our own area on Saturday! We're super excited about it! :D

Portable Visitors Centre!

Avon Sisters and the Canton Elders

This week is going to be great! :D

I love you all! Have an amazing week!

Love,

Sister Rebekah Barrett

Musical Sacrament Meeting

Hey everyone!

This week was great!

So it started off with our Labor Day picnic on Monday! We got to spend some time with all the members of the ward and eat delicious food together, so that was great!

On Tuesday we had yet another great day! We saw Laurie and we read the talk "Blessings of the Temple" from the last General Conference. She loved it! She came to church again this week! She is making amazing progress!

On Tuesday evening we had dinner with the Holbrooks (The missionary couple who are in charge of the Temple here). They are so sweet. They also had the Canton Elders over for dinner that night, and I don't think I've ever seen two humans eat so much food! Everyone always tells us that we don't eat nearly as much as Elders do, and I never understood what they were talking about...but now I do. It was enlightening!

On Wednesday we got up bright and early to go to Return and Report in Boston. It was my 3rd time at Return and Report, but it's awesome because it's different every time! The first thing we did when we got there was split up. So all the trainers were together and all the greenies were together in a different room. It was great to be together with all the trainers, and be able to share experiences and help each other out. Then after that, we came back together and had some trainings on setting goals and weekly planning. It was wonderful!

Then on Thursday we had a really good experience. We went over to a member's house for a dessert appointment...yes that's right...a dessert appointment, and afterwards we talked to her about her husband who's not a member. We asked her has he ever taken the lessons before, and she said that he has MANY times. He comes to church weekly but just hasn't been baptised! We chatted about it some more and then committed her to invite him to take the lessons again. It could be different this time!

On Friday we had an awesome District Meeting, thanks to Sister Egan! She gave her first training and taught us all about working with members. I felt like a proud mother! She is fantastic!

Yesterday was amazing. Church was a little different. We had a musical Sacrament meeting where the speakers got up and talked about their favourite hymn, and why it's their favourite hymn, and then we all sang the hymns as a congregation! It was so cool! I don't think I've ever sang so much at church! It really helped us to realise the importance of the hymns. They're there in our hymn book for a reason. They bring the spirit with their lyrics and tunes. My favourite hymn (well one of them) is "Joseph Smith's First Prayer". It describes a defining moment in the history of the world that not many people know about. It's up to all of us to share the message of the Restoration with EVERYONE!

Okay so I literally took zero pictures this week, so here's a selfie of me that I took while I was emailing. Enjoy.

I love you all so much! I hope you have an amazing week!

Love,

Sister Rebekah Barrett

Yet More Teaching!

Hey everyone!

This week was fantastic! 

So we saw Stefano again on Tuesday and we taught him the Restoration. The whole time we felt like he wasn't really getting it or taking any of it in, so at the end I asked "From everything you just learned, what stood out to you the most?' and we were expecting him to say something about the doctrine that he liked. He told us that the thing that stood out to him the most was our testimonies. He said "Actually I just think it's really admirable that you KNOW that all these things are true. I've talked to a lot of people about their different religions and nobody has ever been able to tell me that they KNOW that what they teach is true. It's just amazing to hear you talk about it with such conviction." We really learned the importance of bearing simple testimony as we teach. It changes EVERYTHING. He also prayed again!

Then we went to see Laurie and we had a lesson with her in her home. We talked about the blessings of the Temple. She told us that she really wants to get back to the temple, and we thought that a good start would be to bring her to the Hartford Temple site, since she had never seen it. So on Friday afternoon we met her there and she got a little tour. It was so great to be there with her. It's amazing that even though the Temple is still just under construction and it's not dedicated yet, it's still a place where we can feel the spirit so strongly. It was such a great experience. Also, Laurie came to church again! She's doing so well! We're so excited for her!

Our area is so beautiful!

So on Friday we also had Zone meeting. It was awesome! We learned how to help our investigators and members overcome their fears, and we also learned how to get over our own fears! It was amazing! Much needed training for all of us :D

Then on Saturday we had an awesome day. We have dubbed Saturdays as Ben & Jerry's days. It's wonderful. We did A LOT of scheduling for this week so we have a jam packed week planned. Then on Saturday evening, someone from the Canton ward invited us to go to their daughter's wedding. It was incredibly random, but there were other missionaries there so we thought it wouldn't be too weird. When we got there, one of the members from Greenfield was actually there so that was crazy! I love seeing people from my old areas!

Ben & Jerry's Day! I had ice cream in my mouth so I look weird in this photo.

Yesterday was a wonderful Sunday. We went to see Hannah after church and we talked to her about prayer. We are now going to be sending her daily reminders to pray! It'll be fun! And we're meeting up with her this week to talk about what's holding her back from baptism! So this will be an interesting week! I'm excited!!

Pray for us!!!

I love you all so much! I hope you all have an amazing week!

Love,

Sister Rebekah Barrett